Beneco polls January; new GM on November
>> Thursday, November 2, 2023
BAGUIO CITY – The Benguet Electric Cooperative is set
to hold elections by January to elect a new set of board of directors of the
power firm which had been wracked with controversies the past two years when
the National Electrification Administration appointed a new general manager and
ordered removal of BODs due to what it called “long-standing irregularities.”
This, as the selection of a new general manager by the Beneco interim board following screening and recommendation by the NEA of three applicants will be done by November, sources said Thursday at main Beneco headquarters at South Drive.
The interim board did not reveal names of applicants for GM in press conference here Thursday, but sources identified them as Artemio ‘Bacs’ Bacoco, supervisor of Beneco Man-asok hydro Dam in Buguias, Benguet; engineer Merlie Landocan, former Beneco employee and engineer Melchor Licoben, assistant general manager of the power cooperative.
Licoben was former GM, but the NEA downgraded his position to assistant GM after it appointed former Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Anna Marie Rafael as GM which was opposed by member-consumer-owners who drove her out of the main Beneco headquarters here at South Drive last year.
MCOs have since called for election of BODs but interim board members said they will appoint first a GM before the polls.
Even all Benguet municipal local governments, in resolutions, have called for elections to settle the issue.
To date, MCOs are still pressing for elections first, saying it should be the new BODs which should appoint the GM.
The interim board, they said, was appointed by the NEA and not elected by MCOs.
The five members of Task Force Beneco, the interim board, took their oath Jan. 11, 2023 before NEA Administrator Antonio Almeda.
They were Joaquin Gerenimo Depalog Jr., Elma Donaal, Steve Cating, George Dumawing and Rodolfo De Guia representing sectors such as the business, academe/education, consumer, professional, agricultural and religious sectors.
The task force was given the mandate to serve for six months and within said period, install Beneco network systems manager Ramel Rifani as acting general manager and call for the election of district representatives who will comprise the regular BOD and appointment of the regular general manager.
MCOs are now saying the interim board should now schedule as soon as possible elections to select the new BODs considering the former’s terms have since lapsed.
Earlier, the NEA, through its board of administrators, alleged the directors allegedly “unduly received benefits and allowances, availed of and mismanaged substantial loans to the detriment of Beneco, as well as amended the terms of payment for several of its service providers without the required approval of NEA, among others.”
NEA said the removed directors of Beneco were disqualified for reinstatement or reemployment in any electric cooperative, as well as to run as candidate for a board of director position in any cooperative, with their other monetary benefits forfeited.
This was criticized by lawyers of the ousted BODs saying no irregularities or discrepancies were proved in court.
MCOs also said barring the ousted BODs from running again was unfair considering they were not found guilty by any court.
The Dept. of Energy earlier directed Almeda to act as Beneco’s project supervisor for six months which has since lapsed.
Almeda was tasked to supervise management and operation of the electric cooperative to ensure delivery of electric service to the member-consumer-owners.
Ramel Rifani was earlier appointed acting general manager but was later replaced by Bacoco.
Later Bacoco was replaced by lawyer Delmar Carino who at present sits as OIC GM.
Almeda earlier said he intended to prioritize election of Beneco’s regular board of directors, as well as the appointment of a regular general manager within his tenure project supervisor.
According to NEA, Beneco’s rating as an electric cooperative has regressed to category C from AAA in the 2019 overall performance assessment.
MCOs however said it was the NEA’s fault that the AAA classification was downgrated due to its own fault for interfering in Beneco affairs by appointing Rafael which led to turmoil in the power cooperative.
Almeda earlier assured stakeholders of the rural electrification sector that only the most qualified individuals would manage the electric cooperatives nationwide to make them globally competitive.
He said this would be achieved by making sure that proper and fair selection process is followed at all times.
To this, MCOS said this remains to be seen considering the case of who is the rightful Beneco GM is still pending in the Court of Appeals. – Alfred Dizon
This, as the selection of a new general manager by the Beneco interim board following screening and recommendation by the NEA of three applicants will be done by November, sources said Thursday at main Beneco headquarters at South Drive.
The interim board did not reveal names of applicants for GM in press conference here Thursday, but sources identified them as Artemio ‘Bacs’ Bacoco, supervisor of Beneco Man-asok hydro Dam in Buguias, Benguet; engineer Merlie Landocan, former Beneco employee and engineer Melchor Licoben, assistant general manager of the power cooperative.
Licoben was former GM, but the NEA downgraded his position to assistant GM after it appointed former Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Anna Marie Rafael as GM which was opposed by member-consumer-owners who drove her out of the main Beneco headquarters here at South Drive last year.
MCOs have since called for election of BODs but interim board members said they will appoint first a GM before the polls.
Even all Benguet municipal local governments, in resolutions, have called for elections to settle the issue.
To date, MCOs are still pressing for elections first, saying it should be the new BODs which should appoint the GM.
The interim board, they said, was appointed by the NEA and not elected by MCOs.
The five members of Task Force Beneco, the interim board, took their oath Jan. 11, 2023 before NEA Administrator Antonio Almeda.
They were Joaquin Gerenimo Depalog Jr., Elma Donaal, Steve Cating, George Dumawing and Rodolfo De Guia representing sectors such as the business, academe/education, consumer, professional, agricultural and religious sectors.
The task force was given the mandate to serve for six months and within said period, install Beneco network systems manager Ramel Rifani as acting general manager and call for the election of district representatives who will comprise the regular BOD and appointment of the regular general manager.
MCOs are now saying the interim board should now schedule as soon as possible elections to select the new BODs considering the former’s terms have since lapsed.
Earlier, the NEA, through its board of administrators, alleged the directors allegedly “unduly received benefits and allowances, availed of and mismanaged substantial loans to the detriment of Beneco, as well as amended the terms of payment for several of its service providers without the required approval of NEA, among others.”
NEA said the removed directors of Beneco were disqualified for reinstatement or reemployment in any electric cooperative, as well as to run as candidate for a board of director position in any cooperative, with their other monetary benefits forfeited.
This was criticized by lawyers of the ousted BODs saying no irregularities or discrepancies were proved in court.
MCOs also said barring the ousted BODs from running again was unfair considering they were not found guilty by any court.
The Dept. of Energy earlier directed Almeda to act as Beneco’s project supervisor for six months which has since lapsed.
Almeda was tasked to supervise management and operation of the electric cooperative to ensure delivery of electric service to the member-consumer-owners.
Ramel Rifani was earlier appointed acting general manager but was later replaced by Bacoco.
Later Bacoco was replaced by lawyer Delmar Carino who at present sits as OIC GM.
Almeda earlier said he intended to prioritize election of Beneco’s regular board of directors, as well as the appointment of a regular general manager within his tenure project supervisor.
According to NEA, Beneco’s rating as an electric cooperative has regressed to category C from AAA in the 2019 overall performance assessment.
MCOs however said it was the NEA’s fault that the AAA classification was downgrated due to its own fault for interfering in Beneco affairs by appointing Rafael which led to turmoil in the power cooperative.
Almeda earlier assured stakeholders of the rural electrification sector that only the most qualified individuals would manage the electric cooperatives nationwide to make them globally competitive.
He said this would be achieved by making sure that proper and fair selection process is followed at all times.
To this, MCOS said this remains to be seen considering the case of who is the rightful Beneco GM is still pending in the Court of Appeals. – Alfred Dizon
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